Seabourn
Seabourn is a luxury cruise line based in Seattle and owned by Carnival Corporation. It sails five small ships: Seabourn Quest, with about 450 guests; the 600-guest sisters Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Ovation; and two 264-guest expedition ships, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, built to Polar Class 6 standards.
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About Seabourn
The line was founded in 1986 by Norwegian investor Atle Brynestad and Warren Titus, briefly under the name Signet Cruise Lines, and its first ship, Seabourn Pride, entered service in 1988. Carnival bought a stake in 1991 and later took full ownership, and the company moved its offices from Miami to Seattle in 2011. The three original small ships went to Windstar Cruises in 2014 and 2015 as the larger Odyssey-class ships (2009 to 2011) and Encore-class ships (2016 and 2018) took over, and Seabourn entered expedition cruising with Venture in 2022 and Pursuit in 2023. It sold Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Sojourn to Mitsui Ocean Cruises; they left in 2024 and May 2026.
All accommodation is in ocean-view suites, most with verandas, and Seabourn sells its fares as all-inclusive. The ocean ships sail the Mediterranean, northern Europe, Alaska, Asia, the Caribbean, Canada and New England and annual world cruises, while the expedition ships carry Zodiacs, kayaks and expedition teams to Antarctica, the Arctic, the Kimberley and the South Pacific.
What Seabourn is known for
Seabourn is one of the established names in small-ship luxury cruising. Its ships have collected industry awards, including a Travvy Award for Seabourn Ovation as best luxury cruise ship and a Cruise International British Cruise Awards title for Seabourn Encore as best new ship. Guests get suites throughout, fares that include most extras, and a loyalty program that adds onboard perks and free award cruises for frequent travelers. Its two expedition ships, with polar-class hulls and dedicated expedition teams, have extended the brand to Antarctica and the Arctic.
The fleet is small and has been shrinking: sales of Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Sojourn cut capacity by about 15 percent between 2021 and 2026, so there are fewer ships and departures to choose from than a few years ago. Fares are well above those of mainstream and premium lines, and the newest ocean ship, Seabourn Ovation, dates from 2018.
Who it's for
Luxury · small ships, a high crew-to-guest ratio, most extras included
- Couples
- Food lovers
- History and culture
- Adventure seekers
Seabourn suits experienced travelers who want a small ship, a suite, and fares that cover most extras: couples, food and wine enthusiasts, and people who value port-rich itineraries in the Mediterranean, northern Europe, Alaska and Asia. Its expedition ships suit those who want Antarctica, the Arctic or remote Pacific and Australian coastlines without giving up luxury service, and its world cruises suit guests with months to spare.
Budget-minded travelers, and families looking for kids' clubs and big-ship attractions, should look at larger lines. Anyone who prefers a wide choice of departure dates from one home port may find the small, roaming fleet limiting.
Cruising solo on Seabourn
Seabourn's small all-suite ships (264 to 600 guests) are easy places to cruise alone: open seating, hosted tables and an all-inclusive fare that covers drinks and tips. There are no solo suites and the supplement can be steep, so watch the official Solo Travelers offer, which cuts the supplement on selected sailings. The 264-guest expedition ships Venture and Pursuit are the most sociable choice for solos.
- Single supplement
- No single suites. Solo guests pay a single-occupancy fare above the per-person double rate; no fixed fleetwide percentage is published. Seabourn keeps a Solo Travelers offer in its Special Offers section that reduces the single supplement on selected voyages, often on the expedition ships.
- Meeting other solo guests
- Open-seating dining with shared and hosted tables on request, Seabourn Square as the ship's social hub, pre-dinner gatherings in The Club and Seabourn Conversations lectures. No dedicated solo host or solo meetups.
How it rates
- Cabins
- 5/5
- Dining
- 5/5
- Entertainment
- 3/5
- Service
- 5/5
- Pools & decks
- 4.8/5
- Value
- 3/5
The fleet's average on each metric, across 5 rated ships in service. Each ship is scored 1 to 5 by Cruise Frog's editors; these are not reader reviews.
Rankings and comparisons
Where Seabourn sails
Ships
Best rated
#14.3 ★Seabourn Encore2016 · 41,865 GT · 604 guests · Alaska · AsiaSeabourn Encore is the lead ship of the Encore class, built by Fincantieri and delivered in November 2016 as a larger development of the Odyssey-class design, about 26 percent…
#24.3 ★Seabourn Ovation2018 · 41,865 GT · 604 guests · MediterraneanSeabourn Ovation is the second Encore-class ship, built by Fincantieri in Genoa and delivered on 27 April 2018. She was named in Valletta, Malta, in May 2018 by Elaine Paige…
#34.3 ★Seabourn Quest2011 · 32,348 GT · 450 guests · Mediterranean · World cruisesSeabourn Quest is the third and last of Seabourn's Odyssey-class ships, built by T. Mariotti in Genoa and in service since June 2011. She measures about 32,300 gross tons and…Every ship, by class
Encore class
2 ships · 2016–2018 · 41,865 GT · avg 4.3 ★
Odyssey class
1 ship · 2011 · 32,348 GT · avg 4.3 ★
Other ships
2 ships · 2022–2023 · 23,000 GT · avg 4.3 ★
Former ships
| Ship | Sailed | Gross tons | Left |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seabourn Sojourn | 2010–2026 | 32,346 | May 2026 |
| Seabourn Odyssey | 2009–2024 | 32,346 | September 2024 |
Quick answers
What is Seabourn known for?
Seabourn is one of the established names in small-ship luxury cruising. Its ships have collected industry awards, including a Travvy Award for Seabourn Ovation as best luxury cruise ship and a Cruise International British Cruise Awards title for Seabourn Encore as best new ship. Guests get suites throughout, fares that include most extras, and a loyalty program that adds onboard perks and free award cruises for frequent travelers. Its two expedition ships, with polar-class hulls and dedicated expedition teams, have extended the brand to Antarctica and the Arctic.
Who is Seabourn best for?
Seabourn suits experienced travelers who want a small ship, a suite, and fares that cover most extras: couples, food and wine enthusiasts, and people who value port-rich itineraries in the Mediterranean, northern Europe, Alaska and Asia. Its expedition ships suit those who want Antarctica, the Arctic or remote Pacific and Australian coastlines without giving up luxury service, and its world cruises suit guests with months to spare.
Is Seabourn good for solo travellers?
Seabourn's small all-suite ships (264 to 600 guests) are easy places to cruise alone: open seating, hosted tables and an all-inclusive fare that covers drinks and tips. There are no solo suites and the supplement can be steep, so watch the official Solo Travelers offer, which cuts the supplement on selected sailings. The 264-guest expedition ships Venture and Pursuit are the most sociable choice for solos.
Where does Seabourn sail?
Seabourn's ships in service sail Mediterranean (2 ships), Antarctica (2 ships), Australia and New Zealand (2 ships), Alaska (1 ship), Northern Europe (1 ship), Canada and New England (1 ship), Asia (1 ship), South Pacific (1 ship) and World cruises (1 ship).
How is Seabourn rated?
Seabourn's fleet averages 4.3 out of 5 on Cruise Frog, across 5 rated ships. Its best-rated ship is Seabourn Encore at 4.3.
How many ships does Seabourn have?
Seabourn has 5 ships in service on Cruise Frog: Seabourn Encore, Seabourn Ovation, Seabourn Pursuit, Seabourn Quest and Seabourn Venture.
What ship classes does Seabourn sail?
Seabourn sails 2 classes of ship in service: Encore class (2 ships) and Odyssey class (1 ship), plus 2 ships not in a named class.
Who owns Seabourn?
Seabourn is part of Carnival Corporation & plc.
Where is Seabourn based?
Seabourn is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It has operated since 1986.
What is Seabourn's loyalty program called?
Seabourn's past-guest loyalty program is Seabourn Club.
What is the largest Seabourn ship?
Seabourn Encore is Seabourn's largest ship at 41,865 gross tons, carrying 604 guests.
Cruising with children
Seabourn can be evaluated as a luxury holiday spent together with a child, with different entry requirements for ordinary voyages, crossings and expeditions. Start with the route’s age rules.
Read the Seabourn family guide →Is a drinks package worth it?
House wine is included in Seabourn's fares, so you may not need a drinks package. If you'd want cocktails or premium wines, enter what they cost.
House wine is included in Seabourn's fares, so you may not need a drinks package at all. Seabourn ↗
Per person, a day, as the line quotes it.
A typical drink you'd buy on board.
Optional. Count coffees and sodas if the package covers them.
The days the package is charged for.
To make the drinks package pay for itself
6drinks a day
A $75-a-day package costs the same as 5.8 drinks at $13. Over 7 days that's $525, or 41 drinks for the cruise.
Pay as you go
At 5 drinks a day, buying drinks one at a time costs about $70 less than the package.
- Drinks package, 7 days
- $525
- Drink by drink, 5 drinks a day
- $455
Break-even is a target for your wallet, not a dare for your liver.
Traveller reviews
What people who've been say. One review each; you can update yours.
Related news about Seabourn and its ships
- Seabourn is going back to Egypt after more than five years, with a night in Alexandria for the pyramids
Seabourn's 2029 summer program has 166 sailings. It returns to Egypt, adds a new Gulf of Bothnia trip and brings Seabourn Encore back to Alaska.
Itineraries
- Seabourn expands Earth & Ocean from a restaurant into a fleetwide dining approach
The line plans regional menus and more culinary activities over the next year. Exact experiences will depend on the ship and sailing.
Cruise lines
- What a glass of house wine costs on cruise lines, and which ones pour it free
From $9 on Royal Caribbean to $14 on MSC, and free on 25 lines. The prices behind Cruise Frog's drinks package calculator.
Cruise lines
- Seabourn's summer 2029 voyages return to Egypt and add a Gulf of Bothnia cruise
Ovation, Quest and Encore run 166 sailings in the Med, Northern Europe, Alaska, and Canada and New England. Book by November 4 for 10% off.
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